The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-05-05

ilization than that to be found in Texas?
What have the states. which have
adopted the prohibitory laws, secured as
a compensation for their long agitation
of this question with all its paralyzing
divisions and discussions? Have they
certainly discarded liquor? The official
report of the Hon. James S. Miller, COM
missioner of the internal revenue, for
the year ending June 80, 1886, showed
that Kansas paid to the revenue depart
ment $204, 1888; Iowa, $2,547, 340.94, and
Maine, $57,S00.79 for the year 1856. Win
any candid aud fair man contend that
this liquor was not consumed by the peo-
pie? Then, if it was, did not the law
simply rob these states of their legiti
mate revenue? And is it good policy for
the people of Texas to follow their exam
pie and drive liquor from public traffic
where it may be fnlly regulated by the
most stringent laws for the protection of
the youth, the student and the habitual
drunkard, into clandestine aud secret
tra'Hc, and at the same time deplete its
revenue from the various sources to prob
ably a million of dollars, when 1t has none
to spare, and which will have
to be made good by increased
uDOu blc pdJGIS VI iuO obhbc,
to keep the government and the schools
running? II will not do to say that this
amount will be made good to the people
by the decrease of crime, for there is no
anticipated reduction in the number of
judges, terms of court or other necessary
expenses in the enforcement of the crimi-
nal laws, and if there be any appreciable
decrease in the expenses from this source,
it must be admitted that it will be grad
ual and not benefit the people for term
of years.
After looking through the sacred book
from Genesis to the end, find an exhorta-
ton to every virtue, and a rebuke for
every sin, but nowhere find the con-
demnation OF the making or drinking of
wine. No government ever succeeded in
changing the moral convictions of its
subjects by force; oppression of opinion
and conscience has deluged every country,
and tainted the air of every cline, and
stained the robes of Righteousness of
every sect with the blood of every human
sacrifice which was honest and earnest in
its faith. 1t kindled the fires of the In
QUESTION, in which the best men and wo-
men of the land were burned, the flames
sweeping over the earth like prairie fire
pushed by a cyclone. But, we need not
go back to past ages to see the effects OF
arbitrary laws in government,or dogmatic
systems of faith in church. We have only
TO read in history of the blind inoredulity,
aud deplore the mad folly, such as made
the people of Massachusetts, famous for
hanging their neighbors, who were posi-
bly, better than themselves, for the crime
of witchcraft, on testimony that no child
of to-day would believe, and we of this
day wonder that men of the least concep-
ton of the functions of civil government
could practice such intolerance.
have faith in the honest instincts and
Just intentions, the desire to do right, OF
the great mass of the people, but would
urge them to calm elaboration at this
hour, when the tide of feeling is running
so high that its roar may drown, for the
time, the great voice of reason.
Scion; in his code, proposed no punish
ment for parricide, treating it as an i'm
possible crime; such, with our people,
ought to be the crime of political parri-
cide-the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the demo-
cratic party.
Hoping that good counsel may prevail
in your meeting, and that good may come
of your deliberations,
am, very respectfully,
Il. s. Ross,